Collaboration
by That.which.we.call.a.rose
Summary: “What are you doing?” she spat out. Sirius smiled, “I’ve come to meet my partner.” He offered her a hand, “looking forward to a term of cooperation with you.”


SO, this is my first HP fic, hope you guys like it :)

it's the unedited product of inspiration at 2am, so I hope its not too muddled to read

fyi It switches from past to present scenes at every dotted line

"If I am lost for a day; try to find me

But if I don't come back, then I won't look behind me

All of the things that I thought were so easy

Just got harder and harder each day"

- The Calendar Girl by The Stars

Find the silver lining Cara.

When life hands you lemons, make lemon tarts... right?

But this time.. the lemon's way too bitter.

"Why.. why him?"

Cara's voice rickochet off the walls of the empty girls' bathroom, making each word sound utterly hopeless.

She sunk deeper into the tub, _'what do I do now?'_

Her 'outstanding' in potions was at stake.

What would potions be without her O? Nothing but ptins, and that's not even legible.

---------------------------------

"Now my young protégés, the time has come" Professor Slughorn beamed, "Today I will be assigning your Cooperative Performance Tasks for the coming two terms."

Cara shifted nervously from one foot to the other while flipping blindly through her potions notes. She had never been much of a team player and the notion of 'cooperation' made her rather uncomfortable. Actually, on her psychological assessment back in elementary school she'd been categorized as a compulsive control freak... Maybe she could plead group work disability.

"As you are well aware, this long term assignment will count for forty percent of your Potions mark and is required to receive your NEWT in this course."

Her professor flicked his wand and small purple books apparated with several thuds infrount of each student. There was a charmed image on Cara's cover that flashed the words 'collaboration to succeed' then morphed into the face of an angry old man.

---------------------------------

Cara pulled the plug and watched her bath water spiral downwards.

"This assignment is a death sentence," she complained to herself.

An awkward silence ensued; 'talking to myself needs to stop, it's overly dramatic.'

Its not that she wasn't capable of working with others, it could be done when _absolutely _necessary. But the fact that she was working with _him, _of all people gave her a fair shot at failing.

---------------------------------

"On the inside cover of your manual you will find inscribed the name of your partner" her Professor gestured to the spot on his copy. "Your partner's book will have a matching supervising portrait on it."

The old man on Cara's cover muttered, "What a god-forsaken nuisance. Wake me if there's a fire."

"These portraits log your weekly two-hour meetings then report back to yours truly." Slughorn bounced excitedly off his heels, "Even a minute short of the required time and points will be deducted from your assignment. Now children, if you would please pair off."

Cara opened her cover cautiously, hearing the portrait protest as it hit her desk.

'SIRIUS ORION BLACK'

No, no no no

"NO."

"Hey there, dollface." Came a silky voice from just above her right ear.

She spun around and came face-to-came with Sirius Black. He grinned mischievously at her and took a step forward; Cara instinctively stepped backwards but bumped into her potions desk. Sirius leaned forward and planted a hand on the table behind her, trapping Cara in.

"What are you doing!?" she spat out.

Sirius smiled, "I've come to meet my partner." He offered her a hand, "looking forward to a term of cooperation with you."

Cara took the opportunity to step away from the table and regain her composure.

"Right. Obviously we've been paired together –" She felt slightly nauseous at the thought, "and I intend to treat this very seriously. Our meetings are mandatory – attend them."

"Trust me, I wouldn't miss them for the world." Sirius leaned back casually and caught Chloe staring at him; he smiled at her and she went into a tiff, giggling and turning pink.

"Ugh, let's get this over with, pass me your manual so I can sign it."

The inside read:

This document binds both parties to spend two, constructive hours together per week for a running period of three months.

Any disagreements that arise will be dealt with by the two members of this group alone, there will be no third party intervention of any form.

By signing Below both parties are agreeing to cooperate in an effort to work as a team and gain greater understanding of the art of POTIONS.

She signed grudgingly on the dotted line, then took her copy from Sirus trying not to make eye contact as she packed her bag.

"So I guess I'll be seeing _lots _of you this year"

Cara caught Sirius' suggestive tone. She snapped her face up and regretted it immediately when he caught her gaze in a steel grip. Gods, she was seldom attracted to Sirius Black – due to his arrogance, bad manners and generally annoying demeanor, but there was no denying he was beautiful.

"Black, this doesn't have to be hard. You do your part I do mine."

"You underestimate me miss Eliot"

He threw her a wink before making his way back to his desk.

"Now if you please, open your textbooks to page 12 – Matilda, can you read the section on the format of the assignment"

"A fully resolved 6000 word essay containing documents from both secondary sources and your own brewing experiences will be due, this means a --"

Cara tuned the girls voice out and began counting the number of arches in the dungeon. 53, an uneven number. How irritating.

Just then a charmed paper crane nudged her arm. She unfolded the parchment and read the small, sloppy note.

_Hogsmead outing this weekend, want to go out for lunch?_

_- Jeremy_

She looked over at Jeremy Puck, a perky Ravenclaw sixth year. He'd been her potions partner last year and they'd gotten along pretty well. Cara scribbled out a response,

_Sure the Three Broomsticks? I'll bring Celest and Lily_

Jeremy caught the origami in mid air, scanned over the note and gave her a weak smile.

---------------------------------------------

After class Cara pushed through the clogged dungeon doorways, trying to get to the library where a fourth year was waiting for her tutoring.

"Cara! Hey slow down!" Jeremy caught up to her and grabbed her wrist to stop her vigorous power-walking.

"Listen about this weekend-"

"The time doesn't really matter, could you just figure it out with one of the girls? I'm sort of in a rush"

She shook his hand off and hurried away, giving him a backwards wave as he stood in the knot of students, looking slightly annoyed.

Being late was never an option for Cara, time is meant to be well organized and organization obeyed, she'd see Jeremy later.

---------------------------------------------

Shaking her wet hair roughly through a towel, Cara took a seat on her four poster bed. Besides Potions she'd had a very successful day. Now she could top it off with some of her prescribed meditation and be in tip-rop-shape for extra late-night studying.

The evil purple book sat on top of her charms summer reading beside her yoga mat.

"I hate you."

Cara was almost surprised the paged didn't breathe fire in response. The textbooks piled under it reminded her of a charm that could send small objects through minute tears in the fabric of time and into oblivion- _dispareta. _Cara wished more than anything to test drive the charm on her CPT text book. But she didn't know how to break the rules, and sending the school property to another dimension seemed a bit taboo.

She pushed the pile of books over angrily, flipping the new one over. Cara noticed a moving image on its back cover, where the sleeping portrait was on the opposite cover. Looking closer she saw a four poster bed much like the one she had, only covered in dirty laundry and quidtich magazines. Sirius lay on his back with a copy of '_magical maidens' _open on his bare chest. He rolled slightly to his side and the magazine fell off the bed. As he breathed the muscles on his stomach expanded and contracted, his face was carefree – save a wrinkle between his eyebrows- and his hair was messed around into sleepy spikes. Cara's mouth went dry, she found that she was staring at him and her breathing was totally out of control. – _'he's too beautiful..' _Sirius' mouth lulled open just a bit and he groaned in his sleep, saying something very quietly, almost inaudibly. No, there's no way he just said..

"NEVER AGAIN AM I TOUCHING A CHOCOLATE SERPENT" Lily Evens came crashing into their room, a shade of red that only James potter could turn her.

"LOOK AT THIS!" she waved a grubby piece of parchment with a chocolate serpent taped to it.

"That stupid git wrote me an acrostic poem about his _chocolate serpent!"_

Cara hastily threw a pillow over her textbook and pretended to be interested in the offending literature.

'_What was that? How am I supposed to work productively with that pig if he has _that_ kind of effect on me? This situation is spinning way out of my control...'_

_--- Thanks so much for reading, I have 14 chapters lined up for this piece and I'm hoping to post one every other week, so keep an eye out for the next chapters :D_

_reviews make my life and if you leave me one i will shower you with love and cupcakes_

_xox A._


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